Forbes writer looks at Arizona Sen. John McCain’s upcoming race

By KTAR.com | June 22, 2016 at 5:15 amUPDATED: June 22, 2016 at 1:31 pm

(KTAR File Photo)

Arizona Sen. John McCain is up for re-election in November 2016 in what would be his sixth consecutive term in the Senate.

However, getting elected may not be as easy as McCain thinks, Forbes‘ Bill Whalen wrote in a recent post.

McCain backtracked on a statement he made last week where he claimed President Obama was “directly responsible” for the Orlando nightclub shootings. He quickly said he “misspoke.”

“Was it just a slip? Perhaps. Or maybe he’s feeling pressure,” wrote Whalen.

McCain also has feuded with Donald Trump but has now said he will honor the voters’ will. It goes back to the promise he made to back the Republican Party’s presidential nominee.

“It reflects a candidate who knows he’s in a difficult re-elect fight – a position, ironically, the good people of Arizona put him in when they handed Trump a big primary victory back in late March,” according to Whalen.

Not only has McCain been very public about his opinions lately, but 2016 has been a tough year for Senate Republicans. They have 24 GOP seats to defend as opposed to the Democrats’ 10.

No matter what is really going on in McCain’s head, it will be a difficult victory for the long-time senator. Another reason he may lose is the fact that although McCain is not a first-termer senator, a Senate sweep could still happen.

“The point: big Senate sweeps occur for two reasons: first-term senators finding themselves on the wrong end of the political earth moving; non-purple states getting caught in a rising tide,” said Whalen. “Should Trump meltdown come November, McCain could be caught in such a state.”

With several state convention delegates resigning in objection to Trump, Arizona is a bit shook up right now, so it remains to be seen where McCain may be in November.